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SEPTEMBER 15 2019 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA

> Material may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form, a
> credit to WIANews wouldn't go astray...

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NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING SEPTEMBER 15 2019
IN OUR 24th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS

WIA Islands of Australia Award goes live.

WIA DIRECTOR Mike VK8MA with Board Talk.

ACMA - Corporate plan 2019-20.

THIS & MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF
AUSTRALIA AND FOR WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 15 2019

CANBERRA

The ACMA's Corporate plan 2019-20 covers the period 2019-20 to 2022-23.
It is the ACMA's primary planning document and focuses on positioning
the agency for the medium term.

This corporate plan outlines the ACMA's purpose, vision, mission, key
priorities, strategies, and the capability-enabling activities that
support them. Together these aim to ensure that they deliver
contemporary and fit-for-purpose regulation for a dynamic communications
and media sector.


The next ISS contact to an Australian School is scheduled for Wednesday
18th September 2019 with Aquisition of Signal at 08h 06m 32s UTC that's
6 minutes or so [past 6pm Australian Eastern Standard Time BUT links
will be up approx 10 mins before AOS.

Students from Templestowe College, Melbourne will be talking with
Astronaut - Nick Hague KG5TMV onboard the International Space Station.

Contact audio will be available via
IRLP node 9556
Echolink *HAM* conference server 69556
AllStarLink Node 48820

Also in Townsville, on the TARC club repeater VK4RAT 438.225 MHZ

( Thanks to Gavin VK4ZZ in providing this story.)


In WIA front page news, that is on the home page of wia.org.au we see
that the Islands of Australia Award went live as of last Monday,
September 9.

This award recognises contacts with Amateur Radio stations on any of the
56 qualifying Islands of Australia as listed in the RSGB Islands On The
Air (IOTA) Program.

This list can be found on
iota-world.org/islands-on-the-air/iota-groups-islands.html

The WIA Islands Of Australia Award is an award which compliments the
RSGB/IOTA Ltd Program. The WIA wholeheartedly endorses this Program and
hopes this award will encourage members to extend their "IOTA chasing"
skills and achievements, and apply for further RSGB/IOTA world-wide
awards.


Still on the front page, we see a new 3.4GHz Digital Mode Record has
been set, between 2 VK7's. More on this when Col VK3GTV joins us with
Special Interet Group News, later in this edition.


WIA

Board Comment 15th September 2019 by Mike VK8MA

Hi Everyone, The new edition of AR Magazine will be out later this week.
Another great job by all those in the magazine team. There are plenty of
technical articles, reports and club news from around the country and
more.

Some highlights in this edition include a simple GaAS FET preamp for 2M
by Peter VK1CPK, a K3NG Az/El rotator by our immediate past-president,
Justin VK7TW based on an Arduino Mega2560, and 122.5 GHz distance
records by Noel VK3NH.

Other articles include TAC notes on the 30 Metre band plan, an excellent
article explaining SWR in detail by Jim VK5JST, Amateur Foundations with
Onno VK6FLAB, plus more along with all the usual club news.

An excellent edition with some fine reading for a Spring night.

Of course the Board's sentiments go out to any Amateurs that may be
affected by the current devastating bush fires in NSW and Queensland.
What a calamity and so early in the fire season.

This has been Mike VK8MA on behalf of the Board.


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INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club,
ARRL, RAC, NZART AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE & the World Wide sources of the
WIA.

Our first story this week comes from the Moon.. via VK7

Back on August 31, Richard VK7ZBX and Rex VK7MO completed the first VK7
to VK7 EME contact over a distance of 720,000 km even though their
stations were only 22 km apart here on Earth.

Operations were at 10 GHz using the QRA64 digital mode.

Richard was running a 75cm dish and 60 watts - to Rex running a 113cm
dish and 90 watts.

At the time the Moon was nearly as close as it can get but even so this
resulted in a propagation loss of 289 dB!!

However spreading was around 35 Hz producing an additional loss of
around 3.4 db. Signals were solid and a degradation test with added
noise showed there was 5 dB in reserve.

On the following day the Moon had moved a further 1562 km away due to
its elliptical orbit but this cost only an additional 0.1 dB But the
spreading was now down to 3 Hz reducing the overall loss by around 3.3
dB compared to the day earlier. With this extra 3.3 dB in hand Richard
tried out a 60cm dish and just 30 watts and again a QSO was completed.

This time degradation tests showed there was nothing to spare.

This second QSO is believed to be between the smallest dishes ever to
complete an EME QSO with power of just 30 watts at one end.

Critics might ask how we are sure the signal got to the Moon and back
rather than direct between us. The answer is that the signal took 2.5
seconds to arrive which relates directly to the time it takes at the
speed of light to get to the Moon and back. In addition Doppler shift
calculated at around 20 KHz proved to be within about 5 Hz once it was
automatically compensated - again confirming the signal was being
reflected from the Moon.


FIRST EMIRATI ASTRONAUT PREPS FOR SPACE QSOs

Radio operators and space enthusiasts in the United Arab Emirates have
their eyes on the sky.

The main and backup crews completed their two days of final tests on the
30th of August just outside Moscow in preparation for their trip to the
International Space Station on the 25th of September. The main crew
includes Hazza al Mansoori, the first Emirati astronaut who -- with the
help of the Emirates Amateur Radio Society will communicate over radio
from the ISS to the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai.

The ham radio society will coordinate those sessions.

In an agreement between the space centre and the Emirates radio society,
the hams have finishing building a station on site in Dubai in order to
communicate with al Mansoori. The station has already had a successful
contact with a Russian cosmonaut on board the ISS.

The mission is designed to last until October 4th for al Mansoori, a
36-year-old military pilot. He was selected in April for the mission
which will include experiments that study how the human body responds to
microgravity as well as experiments done in conjunction with 16 schools
across the United Arab Emirates.

You can keep tabs on the progress of al Mansoori and his fellow
astronauts by following the Twitter account @MBRSpaceCentre


JAPAN

Hisao Shono, JA1AA, died on August 19. He was 100.

Shono served two terms as vice chair of the Japan Amateur Radio League.
He was licensed in 1938 as J2IB. In 1952, when Amateur Radio was again
permitted in Japan, he became the first to be relicensed and became
JA1AA.

He enjoyed DXing and QRP operation.


USA

Radio hams track interfering signals

ARRL report volunteers from the Skagit Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Club in Washington, recently assisted the US Coast Guard
in tracking the source of interference on VHF Marine Channel 5A
(156.250 MHz)

This channel serves the commercial Vessel Traffic Service north of Bush
Point on Whidbey Island, as well as in some Canadian waters in the
Strait of Juan de Fuca. The service offers monitoring and navigational
assistance for ships in the region.

The club reports that the channel was unusable for 30 hours, forcing all
traffic to other channels. SARECC volunteers promptly tracked down the
source of the offending signal a fishing vessel at the Squalicum Harbor
fuel dock and traffic on channel 5A was able to resume.

Last fall, club volunteers were also able to pin down an interference
problem for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.


Dayton Hamvention Signs 5-Year Contract with Greene County Expo Centre.

This agreement keeps Dayton Hamvention at the Greene County Expo Centre
and the agreement was announced by Hamvention General Chairman Jack
Gerbs, WB8SCT.

"It has been a wonderful experience working with the Expo Centre team in
the development of this agreement," Gerbs said. "With the 5-year
agreement signed, the Expo Centre and Hamvention can move forward with
additional enhancements to the facilities."

Dayton Amateur Radio Association President Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ, said the
DARA Board, in approving the contract, noted that the relationship with
the Expo Centre and Greene County, the City of Xenia, and Xenia Township
"has proven especially rewarding." Cramer said, "They all have worked
hard to make Hamvention a success over the last 3 years. We look forward
to a great relationship over the next 5 and beyond."

The largest Amateur Radio show in the US, Dayton Hamvention is held the
third full weekend in May. The dates for 2020 are May 15 - 17.


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HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT

All major Australian contests, rules and results, are on the Contest
Section of the WIA website.

wia.org.au/members/contests/about

Hi this is Alan VK4SN with the Remembrance Day Contest results.

At the risk of repeating myself each year, once again congratulations go
to VK7 as the 2019 Remembrance Day Contest Winning state. The number of
logs received is commendable with over 17 percent of VK7 licensed
operators submitting logs.

Congratulations go to the following individuals;

SOPH VK7ZBX 1101 (New Record),
SOCW VK2GR 550,
SOMX VK5SFA 815,
QRPPH VK3FTZD 9,
QRPCW VK3MH 336,
QPRMX VK3VT 259,
MS VK2GGC 1012,
MM VK4QH 963.

The highest scoring Rookie was won by Scott VK4MGL with 17 points in the
Single Op Phone section.

Top Foundation operator was Paul VK7FPCL with 255 points in the Single
Op Phone section.

Top Team was Cronies+1 (VK7ZBX, VK7ZMS, VK7VH) setting a new team record
with a score of 2506, beating their own record from last year.

Please visit the WIA Contest pages where you can download your
certificates for state winners and see all the results for the contest.
The overall place getters will receive their certificates direct from
the WIA.

Many thanks to everyone for their input, their logs and contributions to
make this another successful contest.

Best 73, Alan, VK4SN


--------------

DX WINDOW NOW OPEN - 2019

Chip KB1QU is QRV as 9 G 5 QU from Ghana until 21st September. On 40, 30
and 20m on CW and digital. QSL manager is N 4 GNR.

--------------

Be listening for Francesco IV3TMM who is talking on the wireless from
Burundi operating as 9 U 3 TMM through the 17th of September. Francesco
can be heard on 60 metres through 6 metres using SSB, RTTY and FT8. QSL
to his home call IV3TMM, by the A.R.I. Italian Bureau, ClubLog or LoTW.

--------------

Fred DH5FS is operating holiday style from the South Cook Islands as E
51 SFS until September 16, he will be on Rarotonga Island (IOTA OC-013)
and from 20th - 25th September his QTH will be Aitutaki Island (IOTA
OC-083).

Activity will be on 40 - 10m CW and FT8. QSL to his home call DH5FS.

--------------

The Citrus Belt Amateur Radio Club of San Bernardino, California (W 6
JBT), will host the 20th annual Route 66 On the Air Special Event this
week, September 7 - 15.

The yearly event commemorates the 1926 construction of the famous Route
66, the USA's first major improved highway linking the US heartland with
the west coast.

Twenty stations will be on the air along the route, two of them as rover
stations on the highway between Santa Monica and Chicago.

All 20 stations will employ 1x1 call signs.

(arrl)

--------------

BURUNDI, 9U.

QRV is 9 U 3 TMM from Bujumbura until September 17 on 60 to 6 meters
using FT8, SSB, and RTTY.

QSL to IV 3 TMM

(arrl)

--------------

Rene DL 2 JRM is active from Ceuta and Melilla on 13th - 16th September
taking in the Worked All Europe SSB Contest.

He is using the callsign EA9/DL2JRM and QSLs go via the home call which
is again, DL 2 JRM.

--------------

NEW CALEDONIA, FK.

QRV is FK 8 CJ from Noumea, IOTA OC-032, until the end of 2019 on 30, 20
and 17 meters.

QSL to F 6 EYB.

(arrl)

--------------

Laurent F 8 BBL is on an IOTA DXPedition to Corsica set sail the 6th -
until 22nd September.

His callsign will be TK 19 IOTA and he will be QRV from the main island
of Corsica IOTA EU-014 as well as the smaller offshore islands EU-100,
EU-104 and EU-164.

(irts)

--------------

Radio hams operate from St Cynllo's

One station you may have heard on air the 14th, UTC date is that
identifying as GB 2 SCC

St Cynllo's Church at Coed-y-Bryn has been taking part in the annual
Churches and Chapels On The Air on Saturday, September 14

This event sees amateur radio clubs all over the UK set up shortwave
radio stations on a chosen day in September at specially-chosen church
locations and broadcast to other operators as a way of letting people
all over the country and internationally too, know about these beautiful
sacred sites.

This event was also a perfect opportunity for anyone interested in
amateur radio as a hobby to get along and see how it works in action.

(SouthGate)


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WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS

ATV

Expressions of Interest: DATV - Channel 25 in NEW ZEALAND

DATV (Digital Amateur Television) is a by-product of the so called
Digital Dividend of the restacking of New Zealand's decommissioned
analogue TV network. One of the dividends was the return of the 6 metre
band for amateur usage.

In the move to the digital TV, amateurs in New Zealand were left without
any spectrum as had previously been available

A NZART Branch took on the role to progress testing and building of a
DATV Repeater in a guard band but now to speed up work NZART is seeking
expressions of interest from other clubs or branches to progress this
project to a conclusion.

They are seeking a project that can be delivered over an eighteen month
period from its start date.

Once all expressions have been received a decision will be made no later
than 6 November 2019.

(sourced to NZART infoline)


WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FT4 and FT8

FT8 used for Australian 3.4 GHz record

A new Australian DX record in the 3.4 GHz band was made using the
digital mode FT8 on September 2, when VK7HH on Mt Wellington in Southern
Tasmania worked VK7PD and VK7ZAB on Mt Barrow in Northern Tasmania, a
distance of over 168km.

(sourced to SouthGate)


WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- MILITARY

HONOURING AMERICA's POWs and MIAs

If you're looking for a way to honour generations of American military
heroes - prisoners of war and those missing in action, there's a special
event coming up that will give you the opportunity.

National POW-MIA Recognition Day came into being in 1979, when US
Congress and the U.S. president declared it a national day to remember
those in the military who never returned home from service.

Eleven years ago, amateur radio operators stepped in and took the honour
further, activating the first special event station keeping with the
theme of the day which this year falls on September 20th.

The station K4MIA/8 - and a number of its sister stations - will be on
the air on 40 meters. Some of the sister stations include K4MIA/5 and
K4MIA/7. Contacts can also be made on low-earth orbit satellites and in
digital modes. QSL cards will be made available to those who have had
valid contacts but requests must include a stamped self-addressed
envelope.

In the United States, National POW/MIA Recognition Day is always
observed on the third Friday in September.

The website military.com notes that a Congressional Record Service
report counts 130,201 World War II service members who were put in
prison; of those 14,072 died. The record also notes that 7,140 service
members were in prisons during the Korean War and 2,701 of them died.
There are other conflicts, of course, and other figures.

The K4MIA/8 special event honours them all. Be listening.


WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- QRP and WEAK SIGNAL COMMUNICATION

WSPR explained: How to get started with one-way ham radio

Geoff Fox writes on Extreme Tech about how radio amateurs transmitting
as little as one milliwatt can be heard on the other side of the world

A few days back, UR3RM, a ham radio station in the Ukraine blindly sent
out a message on 7040.138 kHz. It was automated. It was text. Maybe
someone would hear it. Maybe not.

The "maybe not" part is easy to understand because UR3RM's transmitter
was putting out one milliwatt, .01 watts. To put that in perspective, a
Class 2 Bluetooth transmitter, the ones good for around 30 feet, run 2.5
milliwatts.

UR3RM was using the WSPR mode for Weak Signal Propagation Reporting.
Unlike most of ham radio, this is a one-way mode. Not only is there
little expectation anyone will be listening, but there's even less that
the signal would make it back.

Read the full story at the link in this week's text edition of wia
national news (wia.org.au)

extremetech.com/electronics/297703-wspr-explained-one-way-ham-radio-howto


WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO

SES looking for communication specialists from SARC

Representatives of State Emergency Service and Summerland Amateur Radio
Club recently met to discuss a new SES unit to be formed on the Northern
Rivers of VK2.

Rather than SARC members being recruited as message handling radio
operators, this unit is looking for members who want to increase their
technical knowledge and put their skills to good use. SARC endorses this
new concept and asks that any interested members check the details. If
you decide to 'enlist', please let SARC know and they will put you in
touch with other likeminded individuals so you can support each other.

SARC will not be formally involved with the unit but will support
members who join SES.

(SARC NewsLetter)


SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- SUMMITS ON THE AIR

www.sotawatch.org
www.sota.org.uk

Take to the hills on Tuesday 24 September and activate a Summit for the
ZS SOTA Day.

Hopefully there be summits activated in all of their nine provinces

(sarl)


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2019 Social Scene

VK4 - Sunshine Coast Amateur Radios Sun-Fest 9AM, Saturday Sept 14 @
Woombye School of Arts. (vk4an)

VK4 - Post Sunfast BBQ club open day, Sunday 15th September 10AM until
mid-afternoon @ VK4WIS clubrooms, Godfrey's Rd, Bli Bli (vk4an)

VK3 - Bendigo Amateur Radio and Electronics Club Friday September 20.
'Citizen Science and Amateur Radio' happens in Castlemaine.

Bendigo Amateur Radio and Electronics Club invites you to their
September meeting where The topic will be 'Citizen Science and Amateur
Radio', a presentation by Tony Falla VK3KKP.

Become a 'Citizen Scientist' by using your amateur radio station to
provide propagation data to researchers - don't let your rig sit silent
during these years of poor propagation! Tony will describe the many ways
a modern amateur radio station can be set up to gather information about
propagation and use the results to catch the frequent but very brief
openings on the bands.

The presentation will also consist of a working WSPR setup (weak signal
propagation reporting).

The evening commences at 7.30 pm, Friday September 20th at the 1st
Castlemaine Scout Hall, 16 Reckleben St, Castlemaine. A gold coin
donation would be appreciated. Tea, coffee and biscuits available.

( Graeme Knight )


VK4 - Townsville Amateur Radio Club's Cardwell Gathering 4 days
commencing October 4 (vk4zz)

VK3 - Yarra Valley Amateur Group HamFest, 13th October (vk3cnw)

WW - JOTA 2019 Friday 18th, Sat 19 & Sunday 20 October (vk2gx)

VK3 - Ballarat Amateur Radio Group, BARG Hamvention Oct 27 (vk3kqt)

VK5 - AHARS Buy and Sell Marion RSL Nov 3rd (vk5srp)

VK3 - ROSEBUD RADIOFEST November 17 (wia)


2020 Social Scene

ALARAMEET 2020 Bendigo (vk5yl)

October 2 - 8 in Bendigo Victoria.


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We cannot give blatant 'plugs' to raffles. (new Jan 2019)


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